I read this back to back with the first book in Portland After Dark series, Trueheart, and it's a right decision because the start of Ironbound start after the event of Trueheart. Hunter is once the Queen's hunstman, the leader of the Wild Hunt. But in the end of the Trueheart since the Unseelie Queen bested by Tess in order of Tess to save Thomas and the people that got ensnared by the Queen's magic, this event also liberated Hunter from his own slavery. Hunter give a choice to the Queen, come to bed (ruling with him) or come to war (pretty much explanatory) and the Queen choose war, so Hunter decide to rule his own court. This book is not a standalone and better to read after Trueheart ended.

Hunter is of course different compared to Thomas. If Thomas is still have his humanity, then Hunter is other, he's an antihero to the core. Yet, he's more than he seems and it's pretty interesting to read his character developments. Sterling still write him as an antihero but all he did in this books is for the best of his fair folks that follow his court. He's trying to be just and fair, but also didn't try to hide his disgust regarding Thomas's half fae identity. In the end, in order to reach his goal, he cooperate with both Thomas and Tess because apparently the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Hunter want to be ready to the Queen's attack, Thomas want to be free and back to be human again and live together with Tess, so once enemy now become ally to free Portland from the Queen's tyranny.

Compared to Trueheart, I find myself liked Dove more than Tess. While in Trueheart, Tess is a rational woman that suddenly got shoved into fae world so her disbelief at first was understanble, with Dove she already know the faes thank to her hippie parents and her love for paranormal romance. Beside, the world building already explained in the first book and if Dove is the same with Tess, the story will going nowhere. I also liked that beside a cleaning service staff, Dove also a blacksmith, make her more unique with her ability. At first Dove and Tess's personality kinda the same, they care for people. While Tess didn't believe the fae because of her predicament in the end of the book 1, Dove come to care for fae under Hunter's court. Maybe it's a stockholm syndrome case, in which Dove and Hunter's romance can be counted like that, but I love to read about Dove and her friendship with some fae, like Torchy the will o wisp, Sharpenwit the hobgoblin and Red Tod the redcap.

The story itself is a conclusion with the fight with the Queen although I'm a little bit disappointed because there's no war. More like, spying there, investigating here, attacking there and here. The conclusion is pretty well written, Thomas and Tess finally get their own HEA and they also got their story told so basically Ironbound is story about Hunter, Dove, Thomas and Tess. The mystery behind Hunter's identity also got revealed although I still in disbelief in how Dove can deduct Hunter's real identity right away. For the romance, it more like a slow burn and maybe a little bit enemy t0 lover (or maybe abductor and captive, whichever you prefer since Hunter abduct Dove in the first place and held her in his own Court). To sum it up, everyone get their HEA and the villains get their comeuppance at last.

As a series, Portland After Dark is a promising urban fantasy perfect if you like to read everything fae with modern settings.